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A lot of business books/blogs/resources advise entrepreneurs to create a "persona" for your business: thinking about your dream client so you're always consistent in the way that you're creating your content and speaking to potential clients. I have patently ignored this advice coming off of 12 years of marketing career PTSD and have gone by a strategy better known as "winging it" with a little bit of prayer mixed in.

And it's working! Because I got to WORK with my dream client and now I just think, "what would Jenna Golden want?" Persona box: checked.

Jenna is an incredibly multi-faceted woman out of DC, who has had the most fascinating career in media and politics and by the way is just coming off a world food and travel tour. Hashtag dream life! She's launching the next chapter of her career which is her own consultancy called Golden Strategies, advising on sales and digital strategies as well as helping companies navigate the intricacies of Washington DC.

Jenna had a strong vision for her brand and was decisive and clear with her feedback. The first step was creating the hexagonal emblem of her logo (which has a hidden GS--can you find it?) and from there, everything fell into place. We pulled together a clean, modern palate of colors, fonts and brand elements that are classic and strong... but having fun along the way! Which coincidentally is exactly what working with Jenna is like.

It was an honor to work with her on this project and I can't wait to follow her success!

Developing the visual brand and corresponding collateral for the launch of evolveHer, Chicago's first creative coworking space for women is basically my dream job. Alicia Driskill, the founder, is doing big things to connect women of all backgrounds: creatives, entrepreneurs, techies, activists--and I'm so thrilled to be along for the ride.

Together, we worked to create a brand that feels smart, bold, creative, and feminine. The EH emblem logo symbolizes growth, forward movement, and evolution, and the corresponding color and font palates support a big range of design options for both digital and print.

Perhaps the most fun part of it all was developing our ladies--a custom illustration of five women that can be used together or individually to inject the fun, creative vibe that evolveHer evokes into design projects.

“And one day she discovered that she was fierce, and strong, and full of fire; and not even she could hold herself back because her passion burned brighter than her fears.”

This quote is attributed all over the internet to Mark Anthony—but whether that’s the ancient Roman politician, a misspelling of the living Latino singer or a relatively unknown other Mark Anthony is apparently un-Googleable.

Whoever Mr. Anthony may be, he translated my feelings to words nicely. Saying that you’re an illustrator, a designer, or a writer is scary. Saying: I made this, and I think you should see it (and potentially pay for it) is super scary. I remember having to choose my major in college and wanting to find the business major that most aligned with my love of art. I chose marketing. What if I just chose art?

If I’m being generous with myself, I would say that I’ve gotten braver since Hudson’s birth because I want to show him that he should chase whatever he’s passionate about regardless of how much it scares him. If I’m less generous, I think that thing is happening that my mother has always said will happen: you simply care less about what people think as you get older. The subtle art of not giving a f*ck, as Mark Manson so eloquently puts it. Whatever forces are conspiring in my favor, I have shared more of my illustrations, writing, and myself in the last year and a half than ever before and have as a result been three to four billion times happier.

So I recently took a big leap, and am winding down my role in marketing at ThoughtWorks by the end of this year in order to pursue design and illustration.

And the craziest, most amazing things have happened almost instantly upon making that decision. I remember reading the Secret back in the day because Oprah told me to and thinking she’d officially lost it. Change the world with your thoughts? Come on, Op. I later recall hearing Arianna Huffington speak and share Rumi’s advice to live life as though everything is rigged in your favor. Maybe these ladies are on to something, because I can’t help but feel that just saying, seriously, universe! I’m doing this now! has sent incredible opportunities my way. Design projects, branding work, and the most exciting, dream-come-true illustration project ever, ever, ever.

I’m so thankful, and so excited for what 2018 will bring. So here’s Super Girl, scared of maybe a lot but going for it anyway in her cape. Cheers, friends!